Eye Exams
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, have any eye symptoms or a systemic health condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, yearly dilated eye exams are recommended. Adults between the ages of 20 to 40 in good health should have an eye exam every 2 years. All adults over 40 should have their eyes evaluated on a yearly basis. After the age of 40, one of the most common eye problems is difficulty reading or presbyopia. Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinal disease can be easily detected with a thorough dilated eye exam. Infections and styes, and even some eyelid cancers can also be found during a thorough exam. Although rare, fortunately, we can also detect retinal detachments, strokes, tumors and nerve disorders that affect vision.
After completing a thorough medical history, an adult eye evaluation at McCabe Vision Center in Murfreesboro, TN will include all of the following components:
1. Visual acuity is the measurement of what the eye can see. Often expressed as a refraction, such as 20/20, which is the visual standard of seeing a certain size letter at 20 feet. Visual acuity is measured with and without correction, and also with a pinhole. The pinhole will tell us to what level the eye is correctable.
2. Evaluation of the lids and orbits is done with the biomicroscope. This evaluation is needed to note any lid pathology and position of the lids against the eye.
3. Pupil evaluation is necessary to detect any unseen pathology. Retinal detachment, optic nerve disorders, retinal vein strokes, and other pathology can be detected with a pupil exam.
4. Visual fields are evaluated by confrontation testing. The examiner will sit in front of you and check your peripheral vision. This is a gross determination of visual function in the periphery and used in several states for a driver's examination. Glaucoma, brain strokes, tumors and retinal detachments can cause visual field results.
5. Ocular motility is evaluated to determine if all the extraocular muscles are functional properly. Strokes, thyroid disease and head trauma can cause double vision.
6. Anterior segment evaluations are done on the cornea, tear film, iris and lens of the eye. This evaluation may include a dry eye test, a cataract glare test, and a biomicroscopic exam of the anterior segment.
7. Intraocular pressure is tested to rule out high eye pressure, which can be a sign of glaucoma. Too much pressure can cause irreversible damage to the optic nerve resulting in permanent loss of peripheral vision. This is a simple painless test.
8. A refraction test measures your prescription to determine how good your vision can be with and without glasses. With our wavefront testing equipment, you get the most accurate glasses prescription.
9. Posterior segment evaluation is done with the pupil dilated. This allows us to examine the interior of the eye, and the optic nerve. The doctor will use the biomicroscope and a handheld lens to evaluate the macula and optic nerve. Then the doctor wears a headset to thoroughly evaluate the retina.
We look forward to providing you with the best vision possible through a comprehensive eye examination. See your best at McCabe Vision Center in Murfreesboro, TN.
